There is a proposal to build a new off road path from the bus terminus at Cockburn Crescent, Balerno up towards Thriepmuir reservoir giving a safer access for cyclists and pedestrians to Pentland Hills Regional Park. (I have a pdf but can't find a way of attaching it to this post) This has the backing of the Balerno Community Council and Cllr Bill Henderson, what do people here think of the idea?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Proposed off road route Balerno to the Pentland Hills
(11 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Great! But we would still need to get from end of WoL path to this new path - would be good if some thought could be given to the (lack of) joined-up-ness. Unless lots of cyclists take the bus out?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds good - but I would be interested to see the route. I don't think that a link directly to the end of WOL path is such an issue. Up to the bus terminus, you're on a wide road with a 30mph limit. After the terminus, it's a narrow road with a 60mph limit so more need for a path.
If there's money to be spent, however, it could be better used in sorting out the surface of the WoL path.
Posted 11 years ago # -
It sounds like an excellent idea to me - usual provisos apply - although I've always wondered why the road from Balerno to the reservoirs hasn't been calmed. Never mind, a segregated facility is almost certain to be far better anyway :)
I don't think too much worry needs to be made over lack of joined-up-ness with the WoL, for the simple reason that people already need to be able to ride through 30mph urban areas to get to the WoL.
That's not to say that conditions everywhere shouldn't be improved, obviously... but it's no reason to hold back on something that would be as popular as this.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"people already need to be able to ride through 30mph urban areas to get to the WoL."
I don't. If we did this ride, it would be off-road except for a very short stretch to the canal, and then the stretch from WoL to the 'new' path. Some folk could get there off-road all the way from Leith, or Duddingston etc with less than 1 km on road.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'd be much more likely to use it as a pedestrian than a cyclist (off-road cycling being not really my thing) and so there would need to be plenty of space for both kinds of user. If my memory serves me correctly there are a couple of steep climbs and mountainbikers coming down at speed could be an issue to people (on bike or foot) going up. Thinking as I type, actually it needs to be the sort of route suitable for SRD on her tandem to descend (not that I am implying that her descending skills are poor, just that she and her ilk are not likely to wish to descend at high speed).
Posted 11 years ago # -
Some folk could get there off-road all the way from Leith, or Duddingston etc with less than 1 km on road.
Based on my experience mentoring prospective cycle commuters to our office at the end of NEPN, anyone who is willing to ride from Russel Rd to the canal is going to be overjoyed with how pleasant the ride through Balerno is.
Correction accepted though - anyone who lives close to the canal (which is quite a few people) will otherwise have a bye.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Not so sure. The challenge will be to engineer a route that's pleasant and safe for walkers and cyclists alike, and possibly horse riders too ? On this gradient that's not so easy.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yes - russell road to the canal unpleasant at present (but in theory is prioritised by ATAP for improvment).
But wouldn't some folk come via WoL?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've cycled this often enough over the years and could probably count on my fingers and toes the number of times I've met a car. Would it really be best use of the money?
Posted 11 years ago # -
There is a footpath already from Cockburn crescent, further round the road from terminus. It is quite up and down, follows a little burn. You wouldn't want to cycle it. Quite muddy and quite tricky to follow. The road to thriepmuir has blind corners and is steep. The road to Harlaw is more gradual. Both very dark at night. The thriepmuir one has a little valley near the cat and dog home that reminds me of deliverance. Ruined huts with odd livestock. Banjos playing in the background. They should run the path up there the swamp people could take pot shots at us or lock us in cages.
From the end of the WoL path you can cycle through the school cross the river on the footbridge, play pooh sticks, go through the rugby Club car park, through Malleny House gardens, through the woods, spot a deer, you come out near Harlaw road, it goes to Harlaw reservoir. You can even come off the road and cycle through the forest, but that would be tricky. However, if we were intent on linking WoL path to pentlands then the Harlaw route already has off road bits, though maybe lots of different land owners?
The boardwalk was being replaced today at thriepmuir.
Posted 11 years ago #
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